Flower Encyclopedia: Calamintha Calamintha has about 30 species and is found in northern temperate regions of Europe and Asia. The plant is also called Calamint. It is cultivated for their aromatic foliage and clusters of pink, lilac, or white flowers
It is an erect, bushy plant with square stems, rarely more than a foot high, bearing pairs of opposite leaves, which, like the stems, are downy with soft hairs. The flowers bloom in July and August, and are somewhat inconspicuous, drooping gracefully before expansion: the corollas are of a light purple color.
The plant grows by waysides and in hedges, and is not uncommon, especially in dry places. It may be cultivated as a hardy perennial, propagated by seeds sown outdoors in April, by cuttings of side shoots in cold frames in spring, or by division of roots in October and April.
The plant may be used as a tea or used as a bathing herb. It is known for its ability to soothe one's sorrows, and help a person recover from emotional pain. This useful herb can increase joy and restore a bright outlook on life.
Did you know?
- Calamintha species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Coleophora albitarsella.
- The name of the genus, Calamintha, is derived from the Greek Kalos because of the ancient belief in its power to drive away serpents and the dreaded basilisk
